Dawn (15 page)

“
Anyway, grab a cup and I’ll fill ‘em up,” said Gavin. He quickly dispersed the cups and topped them off. Gwen beamed at Gavin when she got her drink and Gavin smiled back.

“
Gwen doesn’t talk at all?” murmured Lynn, trying to be polite but still curious.

“
Hardly ever, but she does talk. If she thinks it’s important, she’ll tell you.”

Lynn nodded, “Oh, the dance is over!”

Sure enough, as the applause settled, the dancers cleared the floor and Dawn watched with anticipation as Maria and Llewellyn returned. Llewellyn was still holding her hand as the pair arrived and what a pair they made. Dawn didn’t know how it was possible for Maria to look even more radiant than usual but she did, and her smile and glow were infectious.

Llewellyn smiled broadly at the younger group and then gave Maria a firm hug and quick kiss before disappearing back into the crowd.

“
Thank you for watching Heather. That was wonderful!”

“
We were glad to help,” Lynn offered with a smile. Of course it was a smile. Who couldn’t smile? Maria’s smile was bona fide contagious!

Heather released her grip from Dawn and sprang back over to the waiting Maria who spun the youngster high in the air before providing a giant hug.

Gavin cocked his head to the Dawn and Lynn, “Back to the dance floor then?”

“
Um, no. Not just yet,” Dawn replied.

“
Something wrong?” Gavin asked, more than a little curious.

Dawn furrowed her eyebrows, “I need to go take care of
things
right quick. Lynn, you coming?”

Lynn nodded and the pair quickly departed leaving a confused Gavin in their wake. “Oh!” he said with sudden realization.

Dawn and Lynn giggled and laughed to each other as they turned the corner to the public restroom. And when they opened the door, there was Kate.

Kate glared at the pair as they entered. Her wrist was in a simple bandage and her otherwise beautiful dress was tussled and slightly out of place. Dawn didn’t think Kate could have looked any more displeased with the world without the mirrors in the room breaking. And honestly she attributed the current condition of the mirrors to their excellent workmanship. Dawn swore she could see frost as Kate spoke, “Oh what do we have here: the poster children for the chromatically impaired. It does seem odd that all the trash seems to gather together.”

Dawn bit her lip and tried to remain calm. If she ran out of the room, Kate would win and Dawn wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction. She fought for something to say and decided to be the better person, “Ouch, it looks like your wrist got hurt. Do we need to find someone for you?”

“
Oh, I can take care of myself, thank you very much. I certainly don’t need help from either of you two,” she sneered.

For fourteen years of Dawn’s life, she had been the daughter of a well-placed diplomat, the ambassador for all the Highlands in fact. Surely something in all that history could help her say the right thing. “I am unaware of any way I have transgressed against you,” she said articulately. “I do not mean to cause offense; I am simply concerned for your well-being.”
Whew! That was hard to say without baring teeth!

Kate stretched as she approached Dawn and spoke with teeth flashing, “You can play stupid all you want, you drab monochromatic loser, just know this: Gavin is mine.”

Dawn could feel her temper rising faster than her fear, “What of poor Tobias? I thought
he
was yours.” Dawn actually felt sorry for Tobias. What had he ever seen in such a hate-filled girl?

Kate flashed a glance at her bandaged wrist before snarling back, “Whoever I pick is mine―just get used to it.”

“
He doesn’t even like you.”

“
That’s what you say now; when I get done with you, he’ll spurn you like the trash you are.”

Dawn cocked her head as she felt her blood starting to boil, “And just what do you think you can do to me?”

Kate laughed a cruel laugh, “I’m going to hunt down all the dirt on you, everything you’ve ever done, everything you’ve ever tried to hide and I’m going to parade it around in front of you. I’ll destroy you in front of his very eyes.”

“
You don’t get it,” began Lynn, “tearing someone down doesn’t make you any better, it just makes you petty!”

Kate’s eyes flashed with rage and she backhanded Lynn hard enough to send the unsuspecting girl to the floor, “You stay out of this, snowball! This is between soot girl and me!”

Dawn’s pulse went level and an unfamiliar calm swept over her as adrenalin dumped into her system and her father’s training took over, “You know, I was raised originally as a Winteroak. Diplomacy and the effort to help all people see eye to eye was the staple of my early life.” Her eyes narrowed as she continued, “But now, I’m a Stratford, and Stratford girls don’t take crap from anyone, much less self-important troglodytes with delusions of grandeur.” Something from deep down welled up inside, and her voice tightened another notch, “You have insulted me, tried to steal my boyfriend, and you hit my best friend.” Twin curved short swords winked into existence with a blue flourish and she brought them to bear on Kate, “You have ten seconds to get your whiny butt out of my sight.”

Flabbergasted, Kate recoiled, “You, you wouldn’t
dare
hurt me. My mother…,”

“
Your mother isn’t here! I am! And no, I’m not going to hurt you…” Dawn cracked an evil smile.

Kate gulped nervously.

“
I’m going to
shave
you!” Dawn finished.

Kate’s eyes went wide and her mouth went dry as she fought for air. Kate staggered momentarily before she ran screaming out of the restrooms.

Dawn let out a long sigh and then crumpled against the wall as the swords winked out and were gone. She had both rocks and butterflies in her stomach at the same time―to think some people went in search of an adrenalin buzz! Quickly she shifted gears as she saw poor Lynn struggling to get up off the floor. “Are you okay?” Dawn asked as she tried to help Lynn up.

“
Wow! You Stratford girls are pretty serious!” she tried to joke. “I’d hate to see what the
boys
are like!”

“
I think the forces of nature have aligned to make sure that doesn’t happen,” she joked in return. “How bad did she hurt your face?”

“
It stings, a lot!” Lynn dusted herself off and had a good long look in the mirror.

“
It looks like you have a slight cut under your eye. I think it was from a ring she was wearing.”

Lynn poked the area lightly and winced lightly, “Yep, that is going to be fun in the morning.”

“
Here, let me help wash it up.” Dawn took a hand towel and soaked it in cold water before trying to blot the wound.

“
Odds are, my eye is going to swell, too. This is going to be fun to explain.”

Dawn made a mild raspberry, “Heh, just tell the truth. Psycho girl went all crazy because she couldn’t handle the truth.”

“
If I didn’t need to go to the bathroom before, I sure do now. That was intense!”

“
Is there a problem in here,” called a voice from outside. Dawn’s mind raced as she tried to place the voice.

A second later her guess was proven right as the Lady Mayor stepped in, “Kate came running out in quite a state, is there…” She caught a look at Lynn’s face and instantly melted. “Oh, please tell me Kate didn’t do that to you.”

Dawn and Lynn looked sheepishly at each other.

The Lady Mayor grimaced, “Not again! When
will
that girl learn some manners!” She fussed over Lynn, wetting another hand towel and tended to the wound. “Oh, you poor dear.”

Dawn was just grateful they didn’t have to explain why Kate went running. “It looks like she has a slight cut under her eye too, ma’am.”

The Lady Mayor rotated Lynn in the light and remarked in disgust, “Yes, it looks like she caught her with either a ring or a claw. Please tell me she didn’t go for the eyes on purpose.”

“
She didn’t, ma’am, she backhanded me,” Lynn offered.

“
So Kate lost it on you and then Dawn stepped up to help,” she led.

Lynn nodded, “Pretty much.”

The Mayor turned to Dawn, “I don’t know what you did, and honestly I don’t care. Kate most likely deserved it. Oh! That girl.” She paused to catch her breath and fumed to herself a bit before turning back to Lynn, “Lynn my darling, tomorrow morning and every morning for the next week, Kate will come by your house. If you have any chores, or if you family needs any errands run, she will do them for you. If she gives
anyone
any lip, we’ll tack on another day or two. Does that sound fair to you?”

“
Yes, ma’am,” replied Lynn.

Dawn almost laughed.
Kate having to do whatever Lynn said for a week. That was going to be fun.
The same thought must have hit Lynn as she too started to smirk broadly.

“
Okay, Dawn, can you help her finish cleaning up? I need to go apologize to her First Mother.”

“
Gladly, ma’am,” Dawn replied smartly.

The Lady Mayor kissed Lynn gently on the forehead, turned, and headed out.

Dawn sighed audibly before the two girls made eye contact and then broke out laughing. Lynn cut the laughing short as the severe facial movements suddenly made her cut hurt even more. She quickly reapplied the wet towel and continued her mirth more moderately.

“
Maybe you should have shaved her whiskers off at least!” Lynn offered.

Dawn shook her head. “No. I dodged that one and that is good enough for me,” she smiled back.

With a cold towel still on Lynn’s face, the pair emerged only to find a bit of a crowd was gathered near the door. They tried to ignore them as a parade of elders made sympathetic noises in Lynn’s direction. They threaded through the small crowd giving noncommittal smiles as they went in search of Gavin.

“
Over here,” he called out and waved to catch their attention. His broad smile turned to concern as the girls approached. “What in the world happened to Lynn? Is that what all the screaming was about?”

“
I’m all right, really. Kate kinda hit me and then Dawn made her leave,” Lynn assured.

“
Made her leave screaming like a ninny!” Gavin observed. He shot a glance at Dawn, “Are
you
all right? You are shaking like a leaf in autumn.”

Dawn tried to smile. She guessed her nervousness was showing outside as well! “Just a little rattled. No big deal compared to Lynn.”

Gavin smiled and gave them both a careful hug, “You two need to pick your battles more carefully if you want help with them in the future. There are some places I just won’t go,” he joked.

“
Dawn held her own,” Lynn said proudly.

“
Speak for yourself! Next time something like that happens, I want Gavin around, even if we have to blindfold him!”

They all laughed at that and started to thread their way back toward the dance floor.

Suddenly Dawn’s head started to spin and her fur started to stand on end. She stopped and quickly surveyed her surroundings. Her instincts started to kick in as a tale-tale smell teased her nose. She strained her head as she sniffed around her.

“
Inhale through your nose and your mouth. It helps separate the smells,” Gavin suggested evenly.

Dawn was suddenly aware that she had held up the group and started to apologize, but Gavin cut her short.

“
Something set you off. Don’t hide it, don’t fight it. Your senses are trying to help you. Now breathe and think,” Gavin instructed.

Dawn closed her eyes as she spun slowly sampling the air.

“
What is the first emotion that comes to mind?”

“
Fear,” replied Dawn without even thinking. “Fear on my part, hunger on the other.”

“
Forget smell. What do you taste?”

“
It is sweet but putrid.”

Gavin suddenly grew more anxious, “We need to find Owen or your father. Now!”

“
Kartivalds?” Dawn whispered.

Gavin nodded, “Quite possibly. Better safe than sorry.”

Dawn spun and looked to the stand where her mothers were performing. She caught the eye of one of the twins and then mouthed “father.” The twin turned and pointed to the far end of the court. “Come on! This way!” Dawn called. The three fought their way through the crowd, more rudely than they cared for, but with an urgency on their face that brought them many pardons. After what seemed like an hour, but had to have been only a few minutes, Dawn caught sight of Llewellyn sitting on a bench.

“
Father, I think there is trouble,” she began as they closed. She stopped short as she noticed blood all over his pants and then realized they were the source of the acrid sweet smell.

Llewellyn smiled broadly at the trio, “Good nose on you girl! Oh yes, plenty of trouble.”

“
Was it kartivalds, sir?” asked Gavin more than a little curious and nervous.